\CaaX*-  - 


Yi . CX^  - 


U- 

DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  INTERIOR 

OFFICE  OF  INDIAN  AFFAIRS 


THE  SOCIAL  HERITAGE 
OF  THE  INDIAN  GIRL 


PREPARED  AT  THE  REQUEST  OF 

THE  COMMISSIONER  OF  INDIAN  AFFAIRS 


Haskell— 6-12-1928— 5M 


THE  SOCIAL  HERITAGE  OF  THE  INDIAN  GIRL 

Every  endeavor  to  understand  the  American  Indian  girl  of  to-day  is  de- 
pendent upon  an  appreciation  of  the  two  great  influences  which  have  been 
most  important  in  her  life.  The  first  of  these  is  the  influence  of  the  earlier 
life  of  her  race,  or  her  social  heritage.  It  is  true,  however,  that  a knowledge  of 
the  more  remote  past  and  the  reservation  life  of  the  Indian  girl  is  not  suf- 
ficient unless  we  add  to  it,  in  the  second  place,  an  equal  understanding  of  the 
influence  of  school  life  upon  the  same  type  of  girl. 

To-day,  in  contrast  to  the  situation  in  eve’n  the  recent  past,  her  life  and 
thought  are  centered  about  her  school.  During  her  school  days  the  Indian  girl 
must  be  helped  to  make  her  adjustment  to  a new  world.  She  must  begin  to 
assume  the  great  responsibility  of  piloting  her  people  as  well  as  herself  from  a 
primitive  to  a highly  complex  civilization.  In  comparatively  few  years  her 
people  are  hurrying  through  those  centuries  which  other  races  have  found 
necessary  for  their  gradual  development.  She  needs  also  to  find  ways  by 
which  our  complex  civilization  may  be  enriched  by  the  varied  gifts  of  her  race. 

The  help  which  the  Indian  girl  requires  for  this  stupendous  task  must  come 
from  those  who  understa.nd  her  and  her  needs.  It  is  impossible,  however,  for 
any  one  person  to  know  from  experience  Indian  life  of  the  past  and  present,  on 
the  reservations  and  in  communities  outside  where  many  of  the  girls  are  living 
or  seeking  employment,  and  also  in  the  boarding  school  to  which  the  Indian 
young  people  go. 

In  this  article  therefore  we  have  gathered  from  the  experiences  of  many 
people,  including  Indian  young  women  themselves,  suggestions  for  help  in  the 
interpretation  of  the  Indian  girl  to  those  w'ho  desire  to  come  to  her  aid. 

Because  the  school  is  the  center  in  which  these  girls  must  make  the  greatest 
adjustments,  these  considerations  are  limited  to  questions  and  problems  arising 
from  their  life  with  others  in  this  place  which  is  having  the  most  vital  influ- 
ence on  the  Indian  young  people,  the  Government  Indian  schools  throughout 
the  United  States. 

WHAT  IS  THE  INDIAN  GIRL  LIKE? 

In  this  question  are  included  the  following  which  are  tj^ical  of  the  many 
questions  w'hich  show  confusion  of  thought  and  desire  for  understanding  on  the 
part  of  those  who  are  interested  in  the  Indian  girl. 

"Why  are  Indian  girls  so  often  silent  when  they  could  explain  if  they  would?” 

“Why  can  we  never  depend  upon  them  to  do  things  on  time?” 

“Why  do  Indian  customs,  home  relationships  and  friendships  seem  so  dif- 
ferent from  ours?” 

“Is  there  anything  in  their  past  worth  preserving?” 

“How  can  we  ever  learn  to  understand  them?” 

These  .seemingly  superficial  o.uestions  led  us  to  use  all  possible  resources  in 
a study  of  the  fundamental  problems  and  Indian  characteristics  underlying 
them.  We  have  gathered  our  conclusions  around  the  following  remarks  which 
are  frequently  heard  when  the  Indian  girl  i.s  mentioned: 

Are  they  always  silent? 

Why  are  they  so  slow? 

They  are  always  borrowing  others  possessions  and  giving  theirs  away. 

When  will  they  ever  learn  to  reason  things  out  instead  of  just  following 
their  impulses? 

What  do  they  need  most  of  all? 

We  shall  consider  each  of  these  in  turn. 


3 


4 


ALWAYS  SILENT? 

An  Indian  trait  most  frequently  mentioned  is  silence.  This  is  interpreted 
by  some  as  shyness  or  reserve,  and  by  others  as  disrespect,  insolence  and  re- 
sentfulness. Perhaps  these  traits  can  best  be  illustrated  by  an  incident  more 
or  less  typical  of  the  numerous  illustrations  that  friends  of  the  Indian  girl 
might  give. 

One  day  a little  girl  came  in  from  a remote  corner  of  a reservation  to  the 
school.  She  was  overawed  at  the  great  buildings  and  at  all  the  new  and 
strange  things  which  she  saw  about  her.  Alter  much  scrubbing  and  dressing 
she  was  conducted  to  the  school 'room  over  which  an  imposing  lady  presided. 
In  a few  minutes  this  lady  asked  her  a question.  The  girl's  awe  and  embar- 
rassment were  overwhelming.  To  think  that  so  important  a person  represent- 
ing the  Great  White  Father  at  Washington  should  desire  information  from 
her.  Speech  was  impo.:sib!e  and  even  if  sounds  could  have  come  from  her 
tightened  throat  how  could  she  ever  think  of  a formal  speech!  She  hung  her 
head  and  tried  to  compose  a fitting  reply,  struggling  to  her  feet  as  she  did  so. 
The  class  waited  in  expectancy.  This  changed  subtly  to  sympathy  for  they 
all  appreciated  the  struggle  in  her  mind. 

A teacher  inexperienced  in  Indian  ways,  with  patience  exhausted,  would 
have  shown  her  irritation  and  left  the  bewildered  girl  wondering  for  days 
and  days  how  she  had  so  offended  this  great  Government  for  which  she  had 
such  awe  and  respect.  But  this  teacher,  wise  and  instinctively  understanding, 
with  a knowledge  of  newer  methods  of  education,  though  not  fully  realizing 
what  was  passing  in  the  girl’s  mind,  knew  how  to  bring  to  the  child’s  assist- 
ance the  help  of  the  other  children  who  did  understand. 

Unfortunately,  many  of  us  who  work  with  other  races  do  not  have  the  wis- 
dom of  this  teacher.  Then  as  time  goes  on,  the  Indian  girls,  less  bewildered, 
begin  to  question  our  intentions  or  even  our  sincerity  in  the  face  of  nervous, 
irritable,  Anglo-Saxon  ways.  Their  awe  and  respect  change  to  irritation  at 
themselves  because  they  have  not  understood.  This  in  turn  gives  place  to 
irritation  at  our  stupidity,  then  to  resentment,  and  even  in  some  instances  to 
lack  of  trust  and  respect  for  the  white  race.  The  outward  result  of  this  cycle 
of  experience  shows  on  the  part  of  some  girls  in  increasing  silence,  on  the  part 
of  others  in  a quick,  resentful  toss  of  the  head  or  a disdainful  muttering.  If 
the  girl  is  driven  too  far  there  is  a sharp  retort.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered 
at  that  some  are  inclined  to  conclude  that  the  girl  is  stubborn,  impudent  or 
insolent. 

But  where  are  we  at  fault  in  summarily  dismissing  her  with  this  hasty  con- 
clusion? Let  us  consider  these  reactions  of  the  girl  in  the  light  of  her  heritage 
from  the  past  and  the  conflict  of  forces  playing  upon  her  in  the  present.  From 
our  experience  of  the  present  home  and  school  life  of  the  girls,  and  our  knowl- 
edge of  the  life  of  the  past,  we  have  found  that  the  following  facts  have  helped 
us  in  our  understanding. 

Quietness,  dignity,  and  reserve  are  conspicuous  in  all  Indian  life.  There 
is  great  respect  for  authority  and  age,  and  great  formality  with  elders.  In  the 
past  the  rule  of  the  grandparents  was  nev^r  questioned.  No  replies  were  made 
without  thoughtful  consideration.  It  was  the  custom,  when  old  chiefs  were 
asked  questions  by  representatives  of  the  Government,  to  reply  in  a formal 
speech.  Even  to-day,  at  an  “Indian  hearing,”  the  white  chairman  reacts  to  the 
innate  courtesy  and  dignified  bearing  of  the  Indian  witness  by  rising,  bowing 
in  greeting,  shaking  hands  in  stately  fashion  and  listening  to  the  quiet,  well 
thought  out,  formal  speech  in  reply  to  his  brief  question. 


The  Indian  people  are  not  loquacious.  As  a young  Indian  woman  has  said, 
“The  Indian  people  do  not  see  any  necessity  for  talkiing  all  the  time;  conver- 
sation may  lag  without  panic.  Neither  is  it  necessary  nor  good  form  to  broad- 
cast all  one’s  innermost  feelings  or  even  convictions.’’  A little  Indian  girl 
expressed  it  thus,  “You  know  you  ask  us  things  you  know  already  yourself.” 

It  is  also  necessary  to  remember  that  a great  many  of  the  Indian  young 
people  in  school  are  endeavoring  to  think  in  a language  which  is  essentially 
foreign  to  them.  The  interests  of  the  people  with  whom  they  are  now  in  touch 
are  also  foreign  to  them  and  the  majoi'ity  have  not  yet  reached  the  stage  at 
which  they  are  interested  in  the  printed  word  upon  which  conversation  is  so 
generally  built.  We  must  not  forget  that,  because  they  are  extremely  sensitive, 
as  one  would  expect  of  a people  isolated  from  others,  their  se’.f-effacement  is 
frequently  evident.  When  they  are  not  sure  that  they  understand  or  will  be 
understood,  they  dislike  exposing  ignorance,  and  as  one  of  their  number  has 
said,  “Not  being  successful  taluffei's,  they  will  often  not  try  to  express  them- 
selves.” 

There  are  other  rea.sons  also  for  a girl’s  .silence,  ,‘cometimcs  it  is  fear  of 
being  laughed  at,  and  at  other  times  it  is  such  a deep  regard  for  the  feelings 
of  her  friends,  that,  for  example,  when  they  fail  or  are  unable  to  recite  in 
school,  she  also  may  refuse  to  recite  rather  than  hurt  her  friend’s  feelings  or 
seem  to  appear  superior.  And  then,  again,  in  the  communism  of  tribal  life 
it  is  not  good  form  to  laud  one’s  .self  above  another,  a touch  perhaps  of  the 
primitive  idea  that  the  god.s  are  jealous  of  superiority  and  send  alfliction  upon 
mortals  who  approach  perfection.  Some  of  us  still  “knock  on  wood.” 

We  .should  continually  remind  ourselves  that  these  facts,  which  can  be  illus- 
trated by  numerous  other  incidents,  may  be  the  c.xplanation  of  an  Indian  girl’s 
■‘exasperating  silence” 

ALWAYS  SLOW? 

A second  Indian  trait  frequently  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  Indian 
girls,  is  slowness.  This  is  often  a.s.sociated  with  the  failure  to  persist,  inability 
to  take  account  of  time,  carelessness,  and  the  habit  of  leaving  things  undone. 
It  is  quite  easy  for  the  older  person,  beginning  her  acquaintance  with  Indian 
girls,  to  draw  the  conclusion  that  they  arc  lacking  in  ambition,  are  lazy  and 
not  dependable.  Let  us  con.sider  the.se  ideas. 

People  who  live  as  members  of  a clan  or  tribe,  in  any  group  larger  than  the 
family,  think  mo.stly  in  terms  of  the  larger  gro'up.  The  Indian  hunter  sought 
food  not  alone  for  his  family  but  for  the  larger  group  to  wlrich  he  belonged. 
His  proweas  in  war  brought  reputation  to  his  whole  tribe.  The  success  of  the 
group,  or  the  glory  that  came  to  the  group  came  to  all  in  the  group.  Each 
individual  felt  as  his  own  the  glory  reflected  on  him.  The  defeat  of  the  group 
was  his  own  defeat.  The  shame  of  the  group  his  own  shame.  Except  in  the 
cal’!  > ing  out  of  some  ancient  religious  rites,  ho  was  never  alone  in  his  experi- 
ences. Perhaps  this  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  Indian  girls  find  group  activities 
peculiarly  satisfying.  On  the  other  hand,  and  most  important  for  our  under- 
standing. individual  tasks,  individual  responsibilities  and  efforts  are  frequently 
described  by  the  adjectives  “lonely.”  Discouragement  comes  quickly  without 
the  help,  the  enthusiasm,  and  encouragement  of  a group.  Poor  playing  on  the 
pari  of  one  or  two,  or  defeat  of  the  team  in  the  first  half  of  a ball  game,  make 
mthusiastic  entrance  into  the  second  half  difficult. 

Any  girl  finds  that  leaving  her  family  for  school  or  for  life  in  another  place 
6 difficult,  and  she  is  lonely.  The  necessity  of  forming  new  habits  away  from 
.hose  of  her  communitj , as  well  as  her  family,  is  another  element  increasing 
,he  loneliness.  How  much  more  difficult  it  is  for  the  Indian  girl  and  how  much 


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■nore  lonely  she  is  when  she  leaves  not  only  her  family  taut  the  larger  group 
whose  ties  are  far  stronger  than  those  of  a white  girl’s  community! 

Another  element  in  Indian  life  which  makes  group  action  possible,  but  in- 
dividual initiative  difficult,  is  the  fact  that  time  in  the  old  life  was  not  regu- 
lated by  clocks  and  watches.  The  call  of  the  crier  brought  to  the  entire  group 
the  knowledge  of  the  next  great  event  in  the  life  of  the  day.  The  slant  of  the 
shadows  told  the  approximate  moment  The  ordinary  individual  did  not  have 
to  pay  attention  to  such  a minute  detail  as  a moment  or  second.  The  one 
whose  busine.ss  it  was,  managed  time  for  the  majority.  Later  the  bells  in 
school  took  the  place  of  the  crier.  But  when  bells  are  out  of  order  or  not 
understood,  or  duties  arise  for  which  no  bell  gives  summons  the  girl  is  fre- 
quently not  where  she  is  supposed  to  be.  “Late”  or  “.slow,”  “careless”  or 
“lazy”  is  the  verdict  pa.ssed  upon  her. 

Not  only  are  the  girls  unu.sed  to  minute  division  of  time,  but  the  intricacies 
of  organization  in  a Government  Indian  .school,  not  to  mention  that  far  greater 
differentation  out.side  the  school  in  the  life  of  to-day,  are  generations  away 
from  the  very  loosely  organized  community  of  which  the  girls  have  been  a part. 
No  wonder  that  under  present  educational  methods,  things  are  left  undone 
unless  carefully  and  firmly  supervised.  Both  girls  and  “grown  ups”  are  driven 
by  the  numbei'less  tasks  facing  them  daily.  The  girls  realize  that  they  are  not 
getting  their  work  done,  and  also  that  they  are  not  doing  it  well.  They  feel 
unable,  as  it  were,  to  “catch  up  with  them.selves"  and  bring  order  out  of  the 
chaos  which  this  speeding  up  of  life  has  brought  to  their  minds. 

It  is  a fact  in  education  that  we  like  what  we  do  successfully.  How  can  the 
Indian  girl  like  what  she  must  do  if  she  carries  with  her  in  connection  with 
the  task  an  overwhelming  sense  of  defeat!  Slow,  careful  explanation  of  her 
task  and  of  its  relation  to  the  w'hole  life  of  the  school,  to  time  and  to  bells, 
with  understanding  of  the  reasons  for  them,  will  help  to  clear  the  muddle  in  the 
girl’s  mind.  It  will  a.ssist  her  adjastment  to  the  new,  highly  organized  social 
order  into  which  both  she  and  all  in  school  have  been  plunged,  and  in  which 
the  lives  of  all  of  us  will  continue,  at  least  for  some  time,  to  be  cast.  In  addi- 
tion to  these  factors,  tho.se  of  us  who  are  older  must  remember  that  the  Indian 
girls  who  are  facing  the  adjustments  of  a new  way  of  life,  in  a new  social  order, 
with  a new  and  strange  group  of  individuals  are,  in  the  majority  of  cases,  at 
the  very  same  time  facing  the  always  difficult  adjustments  of  adolescence. 
The  strain  of  all  this  on  the  nervous  system  is  almost  overwhelming,  and, 
without  the  understanding  and  sympathy  of  older  friends,  it  can  easily  plunge 
the  girl  into  a breakdown  in  health.  This  happens  all  too  frequently  as  w’e 
know.  The  problem  of  adolescence  is  the  problem  of  all  girls,  but  for  the 
Indian  girls  the  nearness  of  their  past  with  its  different  social  si^stem  inten- 
sifies it  at  every  step. 

All  these  factors  which  enter  into  the  girl’s  difficulties  in  changing  to  new 
methods  of  carrying  on  the  day’s  work  help  us  to  understand  the  slowness 
and  these  other  “puzzling  ways”  of  the  Indian  girls. 

BORROWING  AND  GIVING  AWAY 

In  the  third  place,  when  the  Indian  girl  is  the  theme  of  conversation,  there 
is  much  discussion  about  her  propensity  for  borrowing.  This  may  be  a bor- 
rowing of  her  neighbor’s  pos.sessions  which  she  may  or  may  not  return.  It 
may  also  be  a borrowing  of  food  and  of  money.  The  oppo.site  problem  of 
giving  away  one’s  possessions  is  peculiar  to  girls  of  certain  tribes. 

Matrons  in  an  Indian  school  know  well  the  complications  which  arise  over 
the  ever-present  difficulties  of  borrowing.  This  girl  can  not  find  her  dress. 
Another  has  lost  her  belt.  Even  shoes  may  be  borrowed.  At  her  home  we 


7 


find  the  parents  wondering  how  one  girl  wears  out  so  many  sweaters.  “Tell 
my  girl  she  must  keep  her  own  things”  they  command.  This  command  is  the 
ineffective  method  of  dealing  with  a situation  used  by  a people,  confused  in 
thought  and  hard  pushed,  as  they  face  some  of  the  facts  of  the  economic 
system  of  a new  social  stage.  They  could  never  have  dreamed  of  preparing 
the  girl  for  meeting  this  new  system  since  it  is  her  deficiency  that  is  bringing 
them  their  first  knowledge  of  it.  At  school  we  find  many  wondering  if  it  can 
be  possible  that  the  girls  steal  and  are  dishonest. 

It  is  true,  of  course,  that  in  any  school  some  have  more  clothes  and  trinkets 
than  others.  Borrowing  sometimes  has  beneath  it  not  only  the  desire  for 
necessities  but  for  luxuries  with  which  to  adorn  oneself.  We  need  to  remember 
that  this  period  of  adolescence  shows  not  only  in  physical  development,  but  in 
the  desire  for  little  details  of  outward  adornment.  Back  in  the  history  of  the 
human  race  it  was  the  male  who  adorned  him.self  in  trinkets  and  colors,  but 
to-day  no  one  can  outshine  the  girl  in  her  teens.  At  home  the  adornments  of 
the  family  could  be  used  by  any  member  as  occasion  required.  One  can  not 
borrow  when  all  possessions  are  held  in  common. 

Closely  connected  with  this  problem  of  borrowing  is  the  custom  of  giving. 
A few  years  ago  an  Indian  girl  went  for  the  first  time  to  a school  among  girls 
of  a tribe  which  had  always  conquered  hers  in  warfare.  About  the  third  day 
after  her  arrival  she  was  asked  by  the  matron  where  the  clean  clothes  she  had 
brought  with  her  were,  and  her  trunk  was  found  to  be  empty.  After  much 
friendly  urging  she  explained  that  she  had  given  away  all  her  possessions  to 
the  girls  whose  favor  she  was  trying  to  win.  In  many  sections  the  same  cus- 
tom at  a weddding,  a feast  or  a funeral  may  leave  an  entire  family  destitute 
lor  weeks  to  come. 

When  the  girl  is  confronted  by  the  question  of  why  she  has  appropriated 
another  girl’s  pos.sessions  or  has  let  another  take  hers,  her  natural  instinct  to 
defend  herself  in  the  face  of  an  accusing  look,  even  though  she  may  feel  that 
she  has  done  nothing  wrong,  makes  her  self-conscious.  She  wonders  which 
of  our  standards  she  has  this  time  transgressed.  To  defend  herself  she  may 
even  tell  that  which  is  untrue.  It  is  all  too  easy  to  conclude  that  the  girl  is 
dishonest  or  even  that  she  steals. 

Food  also  is  free  to  all  in  an  Indian  community.  Hospitality  is  the  law  of 
the  land.  The  cowboy  sign  over  the  table  in  a shack  on  the  western  ranch  ran 
as  follows:  "Welcome,  stay  as  long  as  you  can,  eat  all  you  wish,  but,  darn  you, 
wash  the  dishes!”  The  last  phrase  is  an  affectionate  reminder  of  his  homo 
standards.  The  Indian  would  not  add  the  last  phrase,  nor  in  fact  need  to 
put  up  any  sign,  for  all  in  his  home  is  open  and  free.  Therefore  food  in  a 
girl  s room  belongs  to  all  and  is  appropriated  freely. 

Some  may  think  of  contradictions  to  the  statements  made  above.  They  re- 
member the  apparent  selfishness  of  various  Indian  girls  who  kept  their  candy 
tied  in  a handkerchief,  carefully  concealed  behind  their  backs.  Some  little 
folks  have  even  been  known  to  hide  food  in  their  beds.  We  forget  the  days 
when  crops  failed,  the  hunt  was  unsuccessful,  and  each  one  in  the  entire  com- 
munity conserved  every  morsel  of  food  to  be  given,  if  the  worst  came  to  pass, 
to  those  who  must  fight.  There  were  days  when  food  was  abundant  and  all 
a»e  as  much  as  possible  and  then  carefully  saved  the  remainder  for  the  lean 
times. 

Inegularity  of  meals  even  to-day,  in  many  parts  of  the  Indian  country,  is 
another  reason  why  children  frequently  hide  what  is  left  over  to  be  eaten  later 
in  the  day.  From  this  uncertainty  of  supply  and  demand  came  the  custom, 
still  observed  in  some  places,  of  carrying  away  what  is  left  on  the  table.  This 


8 


act  also  shows  one’s  appreciation  of  hospitality.  As  the  supply  of  food  be- 
came regular  the  former  customs  gave  way  to  the  courteous  thanking  of  one’s 
hostess  before  leaving.  In  some  Indian  places  this  should  be  done  at  the 
table  if  one  would  be  considered  truly  polite. 

The  questions  of  borrowing,  carele.ssness  in  the  use  of  money,  and  constantly 
writing  home  for  more,  are  harder  for  us  to  understand.  They  are  a .source 
of  difficulty  to  matron.';  and  school  authorities  and  a great  worry  to  parents, 
to  say  nothing  of  her  own  girl  friends  from  whom  a girl  borrows. 

We  have  to  remember  that  money  as  a medium  of  exchange  came  with  a 
more  modern  economic  life  tlian  that  to  which  the  Indian  people  as  a w’hole 
have  yet  attained.  “What  do  we  want  those  little  stones  for?  We  want  red 
calico!”  was  the  remark  of  some  Indian  women  in  the  early  days  wliich  are 
not  so  remote  after  all.  Even  to-day  on  many  re.servations  the  trading  po.st 
is  a place  of  barter,  with  rugs  or  handicraft  exchanged  for  food  supplies  and 
wearing  apparel.  Moreover,  the  old  rationing  and  reservation  system,  with  its 
paternalistic  care  of  the  Indian  wards  of. the  Government,  was  not  organized 
to  educate  the  Indian  people  in  the  development  of  their  own  economic  life 
and  in  the,  use  of  money. 

It  is  unfair,  however,  to  put  the  blame  entirely  on  the  reservation  system 
At  the  time  of  its  establishment  we  were  living  in  an  age  of  paternalism,  and 
the  protection  of  the  Indians  as  children  seemed  the  ideal.  We  planned  and 
arranged  some  phases  ol  their  lives  for  them,  and  they  followed  our  plans. 
To-day  the  world  is  experimenting  with  new'  methods.  Individuals,  organi- 
zations, even  whole  nations,  are  tiying  new'  w'ays  of  living.  In  education  we 
hear  again  and  again  that  we  must  start  where  the  child  is,  and  so  arrange 
the  environment  that  he  can  practice  w'ith  .sati.sfaction  to  himself  those  habits 
which  he  needs  to  form  in  order  to  live  well  as  an  individual  in  his  social 
group.  The  very  push  of  life  is  compelling  the  Indian  people  to  learn  how  to 
manage  better  their  own  financial  affairs.  There  is  need  for  the  development 
and  acceptance  of  a modern  economic  status.  The  burden  of  creating  and 
promoting  new  economic  understanding  rests  upon  the  Indian  young  people 
of  to-day.  Unfortunately,  upon  them  falls  the  blame  of  society  because  t’ney 
have  not  made  this  adjustment  rapidly  enough.  Upon  their  friends  rests 
the  responsibility  of  helping  them  to  work  out  this  difficult  and  intricate  prob- 
lem which  is  before  them  in  their  school  clays,  but  w'hich  comes  upon  them 
with  added  force  when  they  go  out  into  towfu  and  city  away  from  reservation 
and  school  to  earn  their  own  living  with  people  who  have  no  understanding  of 
their  past.  . • 

Therefore,  .when  the  Indian  people  sufficiently  understand  the  need  of  an 
economic  system  in  their  life  to-ciay,  and  feel  more  responsibility  for  estab- 
lishing their  owm,  then  some  of  these  questions  may  begin  to  be  solved. 

FOLLOWING  EE.ASON  OR  IMPULSE? 

In  the  fourth  place  the  Indian  girls  are  frequently  charged  with  an  over- 
sensitiveness  to  correction  and  praise,  homesickness  and  running  aw'ay,  a lack 
of  discrimination  in  personal  habits  and  “silliness”  with  boys,  all  of  which  are 
more  or  less  connected. 

The  older  person  looking  on  frequently  decides  that  the  Indian  girls  are 
quickly  offended,  unruly,  and  even  immoral. 

A small  incident,  even  a slight  difference  in  tone  of  voice,  may  change 
life  for  those  who  are  over  much  aware  of  the  persons  and  things  surrounding 
them,  and  who  are  swayed  by  impulse  because  they  lack  opportunity  for  com- 
plete understanding  of  a situation.  A fine,  eager  Indian  girl,  w'ho  had  never 
before  gone  to  school,  was  asked  by  the  seamstress  in  the  boarding  school  to 


9 


which  she  had  come  to  go  over  to  the  laundry  for  the  basket  of  clothes  which 
needed  to  be  mended.  She  desired  to  respond  quickly  to  every  request  but  was 
too  shy  to  say  that  she  did  not  understand.  Her  mind  went  rapidly  over  the 
well-ordered  school  to  find  what  might  have  been  left  undone  that  morning. 
The  wood  box  was  untouched.  She  disappeared.  After  a little,  another  girl,  sent 
to  look  for  her,  found  her  outside  the  back  door  carefully  cleaning  out  the  big 
wood  box.  Fortunately,  the  girl  who  was  sent  had  herself  been  through  some- 
thing of  the  same  experience  when  she  first  entered  school  and  she  explained 
the  ludicrous  mistake  in  a combination  of  English  and  their  own  language. 
They  laughed  together  over  the  joke  and  the  clothes  appeared  in  due  time. 

The  ending  might  have  been  quite  different.  “Why  are  you  cleaning  that 
wood  box?  We  are  waiting  for  those  clothes.  Hurry  up  and  get  them.”  These 
words,  in  an  impatient  tone  of  voice,  could  easily  have  brought  about  the  fol- 
lowing situation.  Sensitive  to  the  tone  of  rebuke  and  bewildered,  the  girl 
would  finally  understand  and  resent  the  injustice  to  herself.  She  would  be 
deeply  hurt  for  she  had  been  putting  forth  her  best  efforts.  Even  at  this  point 
the  older  person  who  really  cared  about  the  girl  could  save  the  situation  by  a 
gentle  explanation  and  frank  regret  that  her  own  impatience  was  the  ultimate 
cause  of  the  difficulty.  Another  kind  of  older  person  who  merely  considered 
the  situation  an  awkward  one,  calling  for  the  use  of  authority,  would  bring 
further  complications.  Some  girls  at  this  point  might  become  angry  and  seek 
the  first  opportunity  to  confide  their  troubles  to  a girl  or  even  a boy  friend. 
Without  help  they  would  be  likely  to  despair  of  the  whole  idea  of  “getting  an 
education  ’ and  run  away  either  alone  or  with  their  sympathizing  friend.  Other 
girls  might  ponder  the  misunderstanding.  Their  discouragement  at  the  dif- 
ficulties would  increase.  They  would  long  for  home,  the  place  where  they 
were  understood  and  where  life  was  more  simple.  It  takes  great  courage  in  the 
face  of  all  this  difficulty  of  understanding  to  stay  in  school.  Some  run  away. 
Many,  however,  stay  ana  reap  a reward  in  the  development  of  character. 

There  are  other  kinds  of  “running  away”  in  all  schools.  The  news  of  illness 
at  home,  the  running  away  of  a friend  who  insists  upon  company,  failure  in 
examinations,  a sense  of  guilt  because  of  violation  of  rules,  a desire  for  more 
money  in  order  to  dress  like  other  girls,  all  these  are  also  reasons  for  running 
away.  Two  dandelions  held  before  the  school  at  opening  exercises  one  morn- 
ing, with  these  words.  “Children,  spring  has  come.”  started  three  little  boys  at 
recess  for  the  reservation.  If  the  older  person  could  remember  that  the  habits 
of  the  Indian  boys  and  girls  center  in  devotion  to  family,  life  in  the  open  in 
tne  springtime,  loyalty  to  friends,  a slavish  adherence  to  the  customs  and 
modes  of  life  and  dress  of  the  group,  then  she  would  be  able  to  find  the 
especial  underlying  cause  and  treat  each  case  individually.  She  could  help  the  girl 
to  understand  why  she  longs  to  go  home.  She  could  help  her  to  begin  the  for- 
mation of  new  habits  that  would  assist  in  her  adaptation  to  the  new  life  which 
she  must  live. 

Another  kind  of  sensitiveness  which  needs  serious  consideration  is  that 
which  arises  because  of  the  human  desire  for  praise  or  recognition.  'The 
girl’s  extreme  desire  for  praise  may  look  to  the  conscientious  teacher,  who  day 
by  day  is  doing  her  duty  without  it,  as  a foolish  and  shallow  desire  for  flattery 
on  the  part  of  the  girl.  Let  us  again  think  back  to  the  girl’s  life  on  the  re- 
servation. Its  organization  is  simple.  She  knows  its  demands  and  knows 
when  she  has  conformed  to  them.  She  seldom  is  praised  for  doing  this  nor 
does  she  need  it,  as  her  knowledge  of  the  situation  and  her  own  part  well  play- 
ed in  it  bring  to  her  her  own  inner  commendation  and  satisfaction.  In  other 
words  she  can  judge  herself  and  praise  herself. 


10 


Tliis  girl  comes  to  school.  The  life  is  highly  organized  in  a way  which  she 
does  not  at  all  understand.  She  is  bewildered  by  the  numerous  “lineups,”  bells 
and  rules  which  must  be  obeyed.  It  is  so  easy  to  be  impatient  with  her  blank 
expression  and  lagging  feet  and  not  really  to  see  the  trepidation  underneath  as 
she  tries  to  heed  the  bells.  If  the  girls  were  alone,  the  teacher  or  matron 
would  see  the  difficulty.  When  there  are  a hundred,  more  or  less,  new  girls 
in  the  same  plight,  there  is  not  always  time  nor  physical  energy  to  give  the 
word  of  praise  which  the  girl  needs  to  prove  to  herself  that  she  is  doing  the 
right  thing,  and  to  know  that  her  teachers  recognize  her  spirit  as  willing.  But 
such  praise  would  renew  her  courage  to  keep  at  it  and  would  help  the  girl 
make  the  transition  to  the  time  when  she  will  know  within  herself  that  she  is 
right  and  will  no  longer  need  outward  praise. 

Again,  the  Indian  girl  is  over  sensitive  because  she  does  not  understand  that 
some  system  of  rules  is  necessary  in  a large  community  to  enable  people  to 
live  comfortably  together.  Her  first  thought  is  that  she  is  not  being  trusted  to 
come  and  go  as  she  did  at  home.  She  was  accustomed  to  restraint  at  home,  to 
the  watchful  eye  of  her  grandmother,  to  the  company  of  her  mother  or  mar- 
ried sister,  to  the  disapproval  of  her  clan  or  group  when  she  did  not  conform 
either  in  dress  or  action.  She  was  aware,  how^ever,  only  occasionally  of  these 
restraints.  She  is  very  much  aware  of  school  rules.  If  some  one  could  in- 
terpret to  her  that  all  living  together  requires  rules  either  outward  or  inward, 
that  she  has  always  lived  under  rules,  and  that  their  place  is  now  being  taken 
by  school  rules,  then  she  would  be  more  likely  to  understand.  With  more  help 
she  might  also  learn  that  rules  are  like  a temporary  support,  an  outward  means 
of  maintaining  the  happiness  of  all  until  one  s inner  restraints  and  appreci- 
ation of  the  rights  of  others  are  developed. 

Modern  life  is  showing  us  that  there  is  great  need  for  the  study  of  the 
reasons  why  rules  and  laws  are  so  little  understood  and  so  frequently  dis- 
regarded. Some  people  think  that  the  more  or  less  military  attitude  needs  to 
be  emphasized,  others  that  student  initiative  in  making  niles,  called  student 
government,  is  better,  and  still  others  that  the  town  meeting  or  Indian  council 
idea  including  all  members  of  the  community  in  the  discussion  and  formu- 
lation of  the  rules  of  the  community  will  solve  the  difficulties.  Surely  a study 
of  these  methods  of  self-government  on  the  part  of  the  Indian  schools  would 
add  to  the  thinking  of  educators  everywhere. 

There  are  some  who  think  that  the  Indian  girls  show  lack  of  discrimination 
and  of  a fine  sensitiveness  to  their  surroundings.  They  immediately  think  of 
the  untidiness  and  disrumpled  condition  of  these  girls  on  arrival  in  school  and 
the  difficulty  of  teaching  some  to  care  properly  for  their  persons,  rooms,  and 
clothing.  Perhaps  they  do  not  know  how  precious  every  drop  of  water  is  in 
some  Indian  communities,  nor  how  much  some  of  these  girls  who  are  least  used 
to  it  really  appreciate  and  wonder  at  the  joys  of  a bath  with  plenty  of  water. 
“It  seems  like  I never  could  get  out  of  the  bath  tub  when  I get  back  in  school,” 
said  one  such  child.  We  are  apt  to  think  that  because  of  huddled  conditions 
of  life  in  Indian  homes,  there  is  not  the  fineness  of  feeling  and  respect  for  each 
other  which  really  do  exist.  It  is  a great  offense  among  the  Indian  people  to 
“look  too  hard”  at  others  even  when  they  are  fully  clothed.  Sometimes  the 
girls  are  indignant  when  some  over-careful  older  person  not  only  appears  un- 
expectedly in  their  rooms  but  examines  their  clothing  too  scrupulously.  It  is 
difficult  to  find  methods  by  which  girls  can  be  helped  in  their  appreciation  of 
better  health  habits  and  still  not  offend  the  innate  modesty  of  the  Indian  race. 

Tlie  more  difficult  the  question  of  relationship  with  boys  is  not  only  an  In- 
dian problem  but  a problem  of  adolescence  everywhere,  aggravated  by  the  fact, 
before  mentioned,  that  the  Indian  girls  are  emerging  from  a social  system 


11 


■differing  in  many  ways  from  the  one  in  which  we  are  living.  One  example  may 
suffice  to  show  why  frequently  in  the  Indian  girl’s  mind  there  may  be  mis- 
understanding of  our  family  relationships  and  ways  and  great  confusion  of 
thought.  The  majority  of  the  Indian  girls  in  schools  to-day  have  come  from 
r,  matriarchal  system.  In  this  system,  descent  is  through  the  mother’s  line,  and 
the  sisters  of  the  girl’s  mother  as  well  as  the  brothers  of  her  father,  are  often 
called  her  mothers  and  fathers.  Most  teachers  in  Indian  schools  have  at  some 
time  found  difficulty  in  knowing  whether  a girl’s  “brother,”  is  really  her  broth- 
er, cousin  or  even  more  distant  relative.  The  girl  herself  has  found  explanation 
equally  difficult  and  has  taken  refuge  in  a reiteration  of  the  truth  as  she  saw  it, 
in  the  words,  “He  is  my  brother.” 

The  whole  problem  of  the  relationship  between  the  boys  and  girls  is  com- 
plicated by  the  fact  that  at  the  age  when  the  Indian  girl,  if  remaining  at  home, 
would  have  married,  she  is  now  being  kept  in  school.  In  the  old  days  it  was  not 
customary  for  even  brothers  and  sisters  to  play  together  after  childhood.  One 
Indian  grandmother  tells  how  in  her  young  girlhood  her  grandmother  sat  in 
the  door  of  the  tent  with  the  shoulder  blade  of  a calf  in  her  hand  ready  for- 
cibly to  prevent  the  young  girls  of  the  home  from  leaving  the  tent  unaccom- 
panied by  a responsible  elder. 

It  is  as  the  Indian  girls  come  in  touch  with  us  and  our  guarded  way  of 
speech  regarding  questions  of  relationships  of  the  sexes  and  of  the  creation  of 
new  life  that  they  begin  to  think  that  there  must  be  evil  in  it  all  of  which  they 
should  be  ashamed. 

The  Indian  girl’s  problem  is  not  exactly  the  problem  of  other  girls.  Fre- 
quently she  is  not  ignorant  of  actual  physical  facts,  but  she  is  ignorant  of 
some  of  the  finer  interpretations  of  these  facts.  Self-conscious,  bewildered  by 
our  various  attitudes  toward  the  subject,  she  believes  that  she  must  consider 
that  which  she  thought  was  good  evil,  and  she  hesitates  to  ask  why.  Her  self- 
consciousness  has  increased  with  the  presence  of  the  boys  so  near  and  yet  so 
far  away,  who  are  also  struggling  in  a similar  unfortunate  combination  of  mis- 
understanding. Out  of  all  this  has  come  an  unnatural  and  unhealthy  state  of 
mind  which  is  behind  the  notes  which  are  sometimes  written,  and  the  actions 
that  follow. 

The  Indian  young  people  do  not  know  that  it  is  only  recently  that  we  are  all 
beginning  to  discuss  how  far  from  possible  it  is  for  us  in  this  modern  world  to 
live  on  the  physical  and  material  plane  alone.  'We  are  only  beginning  to  dis- 
cover that  much  of  the  creative  energy  of  human  life  that  used  to  be  expressed 
chiefly  in  the  preserv’ation  of  the  race  can  also  be  used  in  other  creative  ways. 
We  are  just  beginning  to  put  into  words  the  truth  that  creative  energy  belongs 
to  all  realms  of  our  lives,  the  physical,  mental  and  the  spiritual,  and  that 
through  all  of  these  realms  it  finds  outlets. 

It  is  all  of  this  which  the  Indian  girls  need  to  understand  as  a foundation  for 
the  building  of  a fine  quality  of  life  in  the  midst  of  much  that  is  far  from 
beautiful.  Through  what  channels  can  the  Indian  young  people  find  oppor- 
tunities to  use  their  energies?  There  is  a great  need  for  study  and  experiment 
both  on  the  part  of  the  girls  and  their  friends  before  this  vital  question  can  be 
answered  adequately.  “Through  their  religious  life  expressed  in  action  day  by 
day,"  will  be  the  answer  given  by  some.  “Through  a better  family  and  home 
life.”  others  add,  “with  more  opportunity  for  health,  education,  and  better 
advantages  for  their  children.’’  “Through  the  revival  of  the  Indian  arts  and 
opportunity  for  the  greater  expression  of  their  own  innate  appreciation  of  the 
beautiful,’’  is  still  another  answer. 


12 


The  following  very  practical,  immediate  help  has  been  suggested  by  an  In- 
dian young  women  whose  experience  with  boys  and  girls  has  been  great.  “The 
way  to  meet  the  problem  seems  to  me  to  lie  in  health  education  in  all  its  many 
branches.  By  means  of  a freer,  wholesome  social  life,  of  which  recreation  is  a 
large  part,  conditions  on  the  reservation  and  in  schools  can  be  gradually 
changed  and  become  more  pleasant.  The  young  people  can  learn  how  to  en- 
joy each  other’s  company  in  the  right  way.  Clubs  can  be  organized  where  the 
young  people  will  meet  for  a common  purpose,  perhaps  to  work  for  some 
special  object  of  the  school  or  community,  and  incidentally  there  should  be 
some  games  and  refreshments.  In  this  way,  life  will  be  socially  improved  and 
boys  and  girls  will  have  the  knowledge  of  how  to  have  a good  time  together  in 
a clean,  wholesome  Christian  way.” 

A vital,  spiritual  interpretation  of  the  facts  of  life,  opportunities  for  ex- 
pression of  common  tastes  an.l  common  fun,  with  a regard  for  the  future  of  the 
generations  yet  to  be,  w'ould  surely  help  both  Indian  girls  and  boys  to  face  the 
new  freedom  which  is  theirs,  and  to  understand  their  responsibility  for  the 
quality  of  life  that  results  from  this  new  freedom. 

THE  GREATEST  NEED 

In  the  fifth  place  we  frequently  hear  the  statement  made  that  the  Indian 
girls  are  swift  in  responding  to  any  emotional  appeal,  especially  to  a religious 
appeal,  but  slow  in  expressing  their  new  resolves  in  action.  Of  course,  this  is 
true  of  all  of  us.  But  “peculiarly  true  of  Indian  girls,”  is  the  reply  of  those  who  are 
close  to  them  in  every-day  life. 

To  understand  the  situation  one  must  remember  that  in  the  old  Indian  life 
everything  had  some  religious  significance,  games,  ceremonies,  animate  and  in- 
animate things.  Religion  was  intrinsically  a part  of  the  every-day  happenings 
of  life,  the  plowing  of  a field,  the  building  of  a house,  the  search  for  food,  and 
killing  of  one’s  enemies.  Hence,  in  the  new  surroundings  anything  labeled  “relig- 
ious” will  call  forth  a genuine  response  in  the  Indian  students,  whether  it  be 
going  forward  in  a meeting,  joining  something,  or  attending  the  services  of 
worship  of  their  school  or  their  church.  Theirs  often  seems  to  be  the  attitude 
of  the  ancient  Athenians  who  erected  an  altar  “to  the  unknowm  God.” 

It  must  also  be  remembered  that  religion  was  not  especially  associated  with 
morals  in  the  older  Indian  life  as  it  is  in  Christianity.  To-day  the  Indian 
young  people  are  frankly  puzzled.  Religion  seems  to  be  connected  with 
churches  or  special  services,  with  certain  rites  and  ceremonies,  especially  on 
Sundays,  but  as  they  see  it  there  is  little  connection  between  it  and  the  way 
one  studies  or  does  the  laundry  on  Monday.  There  are  sometimes,  lor  exam- 
ple, speeches  of  Christianity’s  approval  of  wars  and  then  again  of  its  disap- 
proval of  wars.  “We  do  not  know  what  to  think,”  said  an  old  Christian  Indian 
man.  “The  Government  and  the  missionaries  told  us  we  must  not  fight  and 
we  stopped.  Then  the  war  came  and  the  Government  and  the  missionaries 
told  us  it  is  right  to  fight,  and  we  fought,  and  now  many  good  people  are 
telling  us  it  is  wrong  to  fight.  What  is  right  and  wrong?” 

In  all  this  is  an  element  which  we  must  not  forget,  one  which  all  who  know 
the  Indian  people  agree  is  always  at  work,  namely,  their  keen  powers  of  ob- 
servation. In  the  old  Indian  life,  keenness  of  observation  of  every  phenome- 
non of  nature  brought  a belief  in  a multiplicity  of  gods  which  seemed  to  them 
far  more  potent  in  every-day  life  than  that  Great  Being  of  whom  they  were 
a part.  With  many  gods  came  many  fears,  as  the  following  quotation  about 
Indian  worship  suggests.  “To  the  earth  gods,  embodiments  of  the  Great  Uni- 
versal Spirit,  prayers  and  intricate  ceremonies  were  offered,  including  sacrifices 
and  personal  mutilations.  Feasts  were  given  that  impoverished  families  for  a 


13 


year.  There  were  laceration.s  and  personal  tortures.  To  the  tutelar  God, 
guardian  spirit  of  the  individual,  sacrific6s,  gifts,  and  feasts  were  made  or 
else  the  neglected  spirit  would  turn  against  its  ward.  Despite  the  possession 
of  a sacred  bundle  with  its  fetishes,  fear  of  the  spirits  of  the  dead  so  possessed 
them  that  it  over-rode  all  consideration  of  prudence  and  affection  for  a sick 
child  or  friend.  Other  evil  spirits  of  the  air,  spirits  of  evil  men,  shooting  from 
the  distance  with  magic,  possessed  them.  So  they  were  continually  in  the 
bondage  of  fear.  The  medicine  man  at  whose  mercy  were  their  lives  and  pos- 
sessioris  in  sickness  and  in  health  was  exceedingly  feared  and  honored  to  a 
degree  that  was  wor.ship.” 

To-day  some  knowledge  of  the  findings  of  science  has  dispelled  many  of  the 
old  fears  which  keenness  of  ob.servation  without  information  and  understand- 
ing brought  to  the  Indian  people.  Now  some  of  the  fears  have  gone,  but  the 
same  keenness  of  observation  is  turned  upon  the  new  teachings,  resulting  in 
bewilderment.  ‘'You  say  one  thing  and  do  another,”  was  the  verdict  of  an  old 
Indian  man  whose  imagination  and  religious  longings  were  caught  by  the 
teachings  of  the  Christ  but  whose  keenness  of  observation  recognized  the  di- 
vorce of  Ilis  teachings  from  the  life  of  the  new  day.  “The  Christian  life  is 
tied  up  tight  in  a roll,”  he  added,  “Unroll  it  so  that  we  can  all  see  it  plain.” 
Perhaps  it  is  this  bewilderment  which  is  at  the  root  of  much  of  the  unrest 
of  the  Indian  young  people  of  to-day. 

Hence,  the  swiftness  of  the  emotional  response  of  the  Indian  girls,  especially 
to  that  which  is  religious,  shows  their  desires  for  the  highest.  The  slowness 
of  expression  of  their  re.solves  in  action  shows  their  need  of  seeing  Christianity 
expressed  in  the  daily  life  of  the  individual  and  nation.  “The  highest  can 
not  be  spoken,”  it  has  been  said.  “It  can  not  be  spoken,  but  it  can  be  acted.” 
To  meet  it  in  action  and  to  act  it  for  them.selves,  this  is  the  great  need  of  the 
Indian  girls.  Until  this  need  can  be  more  adequately  met  the  deep  religious 
nature  of  the  Indian  people  will  remain  unsatisfied. 

WIIAT  MUST  THE  INDI.AN  GIRL  UNDERSTAND  ABOUT  US? 

All  that  we  have  said  up  to  this  point  has  been  with  the  purpose  of  flunking 
together  of  what  the  Indian  girl  is  like.  Fairness  to  both  races  compels  us  to 
comsider  also  what  the  Indian  girl  must  understand  in  her  turn  and  require 
of  herself,  if  we  are  all  to  live  together  and  give  of  our  best  to  the  develop- 
ment of  individual,  community,  and  national  life,  and  if  we  are  to  share  each 
other's  experience  and  strength  for  the  life  of  the  whole. 

THE  LITTLE  WAYS  OF  OTHERS 

It  is  quite  necessary  in  the  first  place  that  the  girl  make  an  effort  in  turn 
to  understand  the  point  of  view  and  background  of  those  of  other  races  who 
are  about  her.  It  will  take  an  extra  effort  on  her  part,  for  it  .should  be  easier 
for  others,  whose  race  has  both  passed  through  and  studied  her  development, 
to  understand  her  than  it  wall  be  for  her  to  understand  them. 

To  understand  other  people,  the  Indian  girls  must  take  for  granted  the  fun- 
damental good-will  of  the  vast  majority  of  human  beings.  Her  quick  conclusion 
that  no  one  can  understand  bars  her  from  making  any  attempt  to  help  them  un- 
derstand. and  bars  them  from  the  privilege  of  understanding.  For  example, 
she  needs  to  know  that  inattention  to  herself  because  of  her  friends’  absorption 
in  their  owm  w’ork  and  worries,  even  if  selfish  at  times,  is  not  dislike  of  her. 
She  needs  to  know  that  laughter  is  far  more  often  with  others  than  at  others. 
It  is  not  malicious.  All  are  in  the  process  of  learning  from  experience.  The 
v/ay  o know  more  lies  in  a willingness  to  learn,  even  if  it  means  exposing  one’s 
ignorance  to  the  point  of  being  laughed  at.  She  need  not  be  embarrassed  or 
hurt  by  laughter  or  tliink  that  w'hat  may  seem  even  rude  is  deliberately  so. 


14 


Swift  change  of  facial  expression,  frequent  gestures,  readiness  to  talk,  speed 
in  making  first  advances— all  these  characteristics  of  many  races  are  demo- 
cratic ways  by  which  we  are  rather  easily  known  to  each  other.  Extreme 
expression;;  of  these,  as  seen  frequently  in  moving  pictures,  arouse  an  Indian 
boy’s  or  girl’s  laughter  even  in  the  most  pathetic  part.  It  is  not  heartlessness 
on  their  part.  They  do  not  realize  that  perhaps  a happy  mean  between  these 
extreme  expressions  and  their  own  extreme  reseiwe  in  showing  their  thoughts 
and  feelings  would  make  friendship  with,  and  understanding  of  others  a bit 
easier. 

These  are  only  a few  suggestions  of  how  the  Indian  girl  can  begin  her  study 
of  other  people  around  her  and  learn  to  appreciate  them  as  she  herself  wishes 
to  be  appieciated. 

“rules  of  the  game” 

In  the  second  place  she  needs  to  understand  the  lequirements  of  American 
life  in  the  twentieth  century  if  she  chooses  this  life  in  preference  to  the  life 
on  the  reservation.  She  must  strive  to  think  clearly  and  decide  what  her  place 
in  the  life  of  our  country  is  to  be. 

The  three  distinct  groups  of  Indian  girls  to  one  of  which  she  will  very  likely 
belong  are  as  follows;  There  are  those  girls  who  are  in  the  primitive,  pictures- 
que life  of  the  old  days.  Even  the  question  as  to  how  long  they  will  remain 
in  that  setting  is  scarcely  theirs  to  decide.  Then  there  is  the  very  large  group 
of  girls  who  would  go  forward  into  new  paths  away  from  reservation  life.  New 
ideas  and  ideals  urge  them  forward,  but  the  pull  of  the  traditions  and  customs 
of  the  old  is  also  strong.  The  last  and  smallest  of  these  group  is  constantly 
being  enlarged  by  many  who  are  forced  into  it  by  modem  life.  It  is  the  group 
of  those  girls  who  are  making  their  own  way  shoulder  to  shoulder  with  girls 
out  in  the  world. 

These  last  two  groups  are  increasing  rapidly  in  numbers  year  by  year.  They 
must  learn  and  abide  by  the  rules  of  life  which  govern  normal  people  in  the 
twentieth  century,  both  in  business  and  social  relationships.  For  example,  it 
is  quite  necessary  for  the  girls  to  take  into  comsideration  the  fact,  as  an  Indian 
woman  has  said,  that  business-like  methods  such  as  the  use  of  time  clocks, 
account  books  and  legal  statutes,  are  not  a reflection  on  their  personal  honesty 
and  integrity,  but  only  a part  of  the  rules  of  the  game  in  an  overwhelmingly 
large  and  complex  world.  The  Indian  girl  must  learn  that  if  she  would  have 
the  desired  rewards  she  must  be  willing  to  accept  the  responsibilities  and  fulfill 
the  duties  of  life,  whether  as  a member  of  her  school  community,  her  home 
church,  or  business  group,  or  as  a citizen  in  State  and  Nation.  She  must 
realize  that  the  world  ov.'es  no  one  a living.  We  have  only  that  which  we  earn 
by  haid  w’ork,  supplemented  by  that  which  we  make  our  own  by  appreciation 
and  understanding,  and  can  continue  to  keep  only  that  which  we  use  for  the 
good  of  the  whole. 

THEIR  OWN  ASSETS 

In  the  third  place,  and  by  no  means  of  less  importance,  is  the  necessity  that 
the  Indian  girls  understand  their  own  assets,  as  members  of  the  Indian  race 
for  this  task  of  living  with  other  peoples,  and  realize  what  they  have  to  offer 
from  their  goodly  heritage,  that  they  may  play  their  part  in  the  building  up  of 
the  new  social  order. 

Perhaps  the  best  known  and  the  most  outstanding  Indian  characteristic  Is 
loyalty  to  family  and  friends.  In  this  trait  are  included  devotion  to  all  chil- 
dren, responsibility  for  members  of  the  tribe,  and  allegiance  to  friends  of  their 
owm  or  another  race.  As  the  horizons  of  the  Indian  girls  widen,  their  deep  de- 


15 


votion  to  children  will  need  to  grow  into  an  intelligent  effort  to  bring  about  the 
day  when  all  their  children  will  be  well  born,  with  healthy  family  life  and 
opportunities  for  education  and  development.  Their  loyalties  and  friendships 
will  need  to  broaden  to  include  members  of  other  tribes  and  races. 

Nowhere  do  we  find  greater  admiration  for  brave  leaders  and  for  dauntless 
courage  than  among  the  Indian  people  of  old.  Closely  connected  with  this  is 
the  ambition  in  the  heart  of  every  Indian  child  to  be  a leader,  and  no  sacri- 
fice which  can  be  made  is  too  great  for  the  attainment  of  this  end.  In  the 
work  of  to-day  there  is  great  need  for  Indian  young  people  with  courage  and 
ambition  equal  to  the  warriors  of  old.  May  they  go  forward  as  dauntlessly  in 
the  face  of  temptation,  discouragement,  oft  repeated  failures,  the  hard  grind 
and  monotonous  plodding  into  a new  type  of  leadership! 

“The  only  trait  considered  a sin  by  the  old  Indian  people  was  stinginess!’’ 
Whether  or  not  this  be  true,  and  however  difficult  it  may  be  even  now  for  the 
Indian  people  to  distinguish  between  stinginess  and  economy,  we  know  that 
generosity  and  hospitality  are  outstanding  traits.  Perhaps  freedom  from  ab- 
sorption in  material  possessions  because  of  simplicity  of  living  made  compara- 
tively easy  the  practice  of  these  virtues.  In  the  new  world  into  which  the  girls 
are  entering  they  will,  with  help,  be  able  to  make  a finer  distinction  between 
generosity  and  an  indiscriminate  giving  for  the  purpose  of  winning  praise, 
between  real  hospitality  and  a vain  display  which  may  rob  others  of  the  ne- 
cessities of  life  for  months  to  come.  Nor  would  we  have  the  Indian  girls 
proceed  to  the  other  extreme  of  heaping  up  po.ssessions.  In  the  old  days  they 
labored  diligently  for  tho.se  things  which  were  the  necessities  for  the  simple 
life  of  that  time.  To-day  when  their  life  is  being  lived  on  an  increasingly 
complicated  physical  level,  and  on  new  cultural  and  .spiritual  levels,  we  would 
have  the  Indian  girls  discriminate  in  acquiring  only  such  possessions  as  will 
mean  for  each  one  an  ever-increasing  fullness  and  richness  of  living. 

Probably  the  first  appeal  the  Indian  makes  lo  the  outsider  is  through  his 
picturesque  surroundings  and  his  art.  No  people  could  have  produced  the 
things  we  prize  so  highly  had  they  not  a truly  artistic  nature,  tuned  to  the 
finer  shades  of  meaning  in  many  of  the  deeper  things  of  life.  We  see  this  skill 
in  their  handicrafts,  weaving,  basketry,  pottery  making,  silver,  porcupine  quill 
and  bead  work,  in  their  love  of  form,  color,  and  rhythm,  and  in  their  dramatic 
presentations.  Would  that  to-day  the  Indian  young  people  might  bring  the 
fine  artistic  sense  of  old  into  their  new  life!  Would  that  they  might  have  the 
courage  to  use  their  old  keenness  of  observation  and  sense  of  humor  in  a dis- 
criminating choosing  of  that  which  they  see,  hear,  produce,  do,  and  wear  in 
these  days! 

Underlying  all  characteristics  and  at  the  very  foundations  of  Indian  person- 
ality has  been  reverence  as  they  faced  the  universe.  This  reverence  was  a 
part  of  their  social  heritage  and  in  return  there  developed  in  them  an  answer- 
ing dignity  and  reserve.  They  had  great  respect  for  the  power  they  met  in 
nature  and  for  the  same  power  as  they  saw  it  in  individuals  who,  because  of 
their  great  courage  or  age,  had  attained  to  places  of  influence  in  the  tribe. 
It  is  not  too  great  a leap  from  respect  for  the  personality  of  a few  to  great 
respect  for  all  human  life  and  personality,  including  their  own.  This  ancient 
dignity  and  reserve  is  still  seen  in  the  poise  and  lack  of  outward  selfconscious- 
ness of  the  Indian  girls  as  they  adapt  themselves  to  new  social  customs.  It 
still  has  high  usefulness  as  a protection  for  the  girls  and  their  friends  in  moral 
crises.  It  can  also  be  put  to  very  practical  and  every-day  use  in  helping  them 
with  quietness  of  spirit  view  the  hectic  world  of  tireless  motion  about  them, 
and  offer  to  it  a little  of  their  innate  gentleness  and  calm. 


16 


OUR  COMMON  TASK 

We  have  already  considered  in  the  first  place,  what  those  interested  in  the 
Indian  girl  must  know  in  order  to  understand  her,  and  what  she  herself  mast 
know  in  order  to  understand  the  people  and  situations  about  her.  If  we  are  to 
help  create  a situation  in  which  the  girl  can  grow  and  develop  that  she  may 
be  ready  to  contribute  of  the  best  of  her  own  heritage,  both  she  and  her  friends 
must  work  together.  It  must  be  our  common  task. 

riut  we  are  living  in  a busy  practical  world.  What  methods  can  we  use? 
Details  of  methods  for  meeting  every  situation  are  not  possible.  The  following 
four  principles,  however,  w^hich  underly  the  suggestions  already  made  both  for 
the  older  person  and  the  Indian  girl  herself  must  be  our  guides. 

WORKING  TOGETHER 

The  first  principle  wiiich  we  shall  consider  briefly  takes  us  back  again  to 
the  ancient  custom  of  the  Indian  people,  most  popular  among  them  to-day, 
and,  interestingly  enough,  now  considered  by  modern  psychologists  and  edu- 
cators as  a practical  way  for  meeting  not  only  the  problems  of  adolescence  but 
of  life  in  general.  We  refer  to  the  Indian  councils.  To  these  councils  all 
problems  of  living  together  were  brought.  All  sides  of  the  questions  were 
presented,  and  each  individual  was  free  to  express  his  thought  in  regard  to 
these  questions  and  his  ideas  of  how  they  might  be  settled.  Thus  all  under- 
stood the  situation  and  accepted  their  respon.sibility  for  carrying  out  the 
solution  agreed  upon  by  the  group.  Surely  Indian  young  people,  vnth  all  the 
traditions  of  past  councils  behind  them,  will  re.spond  no  le.ss  eagerly  than  do 
otlier  girls  to  re.sponsibility  w'hich  they  are  capable  of  assuming,  provided  they 
are  helped  to  see  all  sides  of  the  problem,  understand  clearly  the  facts  con- 
nected with  it,  and  their  relation.ship  to  it  all.  This  is  possible  in  groups  of 
girls  and  older  persons  talking  over  together  their  common  pi'oblems  and  work- 
ing together  for  the  good  of  all. 

RESPECT  FOR  INDIVIDUALITY 

The  second  principle  is  respect  tor  individual  differences  and  tastes.  Each 
person,  older  or  younger,  has  her  own  likes  and  dislikes,  ideas  and  ideals,  how- 
ever much  like  another’s  her  clothing  or  her  titles  may  be.  The  world  would 
be  monotonous  beyond  endurance  w^ere  this  not  so. 

Each  has  more  or  less  difficulty  in  facing  the  world  as  it  is  and  adjusting 
herself  to  it.  Hence,  there  is  need  for  reverent  appreciation  of  every  in- 
dividual in  her  endeavors,  however  unsuccessful,  and  also  in  her  failures  which 
may  after  all  teach  as  much  as  her  successes,  if  only  she  can  And,  through  the 
continued  loyalty  of  her  friends,  the  sense  of  security  which  human  beings 
need  if  they  are  to  develop  in  character. 

Nor  can  all  persons  do  the  same  things  equally  w'ell.  There  are  many  who 
have  talents  along  other  lines  than  “reading,  ‘riting  and  ‘rithmetic.’’  Never 
before  in  the  history  of  the  world  has  there  been  such  opportunity  for  a variety 
of  talents.  Never  before  have  we  heard  so  much  about  the  need  in  education 
for  freeing  the  way  for  the  individual  to  add  to  the  whole  her  own  peculiar 
gift.  All  ment.al  and  efficiency  tests  and  all  efforts  to  discover  the  ability  of 
each  person  show  the  great  values  we  are  now  beginning  to  place  upon  every 
individual  and  the  importance  of  her  little  thread  in  the  pattern  woven  on 
the  loom  of  life. 

SYMPATHETIC  UNDERSTANDING 

The  third  and  most  comprehensive  of  these  principles  is  a personal  interest 
in  the  girl  herself.  This  very  likely  began  with  most  of  us  in  our  own  school 
days,  through  stories  of  Indian  bravery  and  picturesqueness.  This  interest  is  a 


17 


sentiment  which  may  later  become  the  first  step  in  understanding  the  Indian 
people  with  whom  one  may  be  in  touch.  Sentiment  alone,  without  understand- 
ing, will  either  hinder  the  development  of  the  Indian  girls,  or  it  will  die  when 
it  meets  the  test  of  living  day  by  day  on  a reservation  or  in  an  Indian  school. 
In  a selfish  person  it  may  even  change  into  disgust  with  the  girls  and  their 
actions.  With  increasing  understanding  of  why  the  girl  acts  as  she  does,  and 
with  some  knowledge  of  her  heritage  from  the  past,  such  as  we  have  mentioned 
above,  then  sentiment  grows  naturally  into  the  next  step,  real  interest  in  the 
girl.  If  to  this  is  added  mutual  respect,  then  this  interest  may  change  to  mu- 
tual affection  and  to  the  great,  impelling  influence,  love,  which  is  the  vital 
need  for  the  growth  of  everyone. 

The  expression  of  this  affection  presents  a problem  which  differs  according 
to  the  size  of  the  doromitory  or  school  in  which  the  girl  is  living.  The  family 
life  of  a small  school  or  of  the  cottage  plan  in  a large  school  presents  fewer 
difiRculties.  In  other  large  schools,  numbers  make  many  expressions  of  affec- 
tion almost  impossible,  partly  because  close  acquaintance  must  precede  it  and 
largely  because  of  the  need  of  impartiality.  To  show  affection  and  impar- 
tiality at  the  same  time  is  an  almost  superhuman  task.  But  both  the  happi- 
ness and  development  of  the  girl  and  of  the  older  person  call  for  some 
expression  of  affection  as  an  outgrowth  of  this  mutual  appreciation  of  each 
other. 

But  how  can  this  be  done  with  so  many  girls?  We  must  come  back  to  the 
knowledge  we  have  of  Indian  life  in  the  olden  days.  We  must  remember  that 
then  the  group  was  far  more  the  unit  than  the  individual.  Is  it  not  possible 
to  capitalize  this  group  consciousness,  especially  in  the  large  schools  where  all 
work  is  carried  on  through  organized  groups?  The  glance  of  the  eye,  the  tone 
of  voice  even  in  giving  commands  to  companies,  praise  for  group  effort,  and 
commendation  for  group  accomplishment,  all  these  will  establish  an  atmos- 
phere in  which  it  will  be  pos.sible  for  all  to  grow.  In  such  an  atmosphere,  even 
the  m.ost  reserved  girl,  in  times  of  bewilderment  or  anxiety,  may  know  that 
she  may  come  freely  to  her  older  friend  for  the  help  and  advice  she  so  often 
hesitates  to  seek,  but  yet  longs  ior  from  the  depth  of  her  heart,  and  must  have 
if  she  is  to  develop  into  the  fullness  of  womanhood. 

OPPORTUNITY  FOR  GROWTH 

In  conclusion  we  must  not  forget  the  fact  that  after  all  the  ultimate  reason 
for  the  existence  of  the  Indian  schools  and  for  all  education  is  experience  in 
living  and  “preparation  for  life.” 

The  Indian  young  people  are  now  leaving  the  reservations.  They  are  seek- 
ing occupations  in  towns  and  cities.  Whether  they  wish  it  or  not,  they  are 
losing  their  sense  of  tribal  life,  and  they  are  becoming  a real  part  of  the  com- 
munities which  they  are  entering.  In  the.se  communities  the  same  mutual 
understanding  and  regard  which  is  needed  in  schools  is  needed  day  by  day, 
especially  for  these  first  years  of  adjustment  to  the  new  privileges  and  respon- 
sibilities as  citizens  of  organized  communities.  If  they  receive  this  and  are 
also  true  to  their  heritage,  then  the  Indian  girls  may  bring  to  the  life  of  to- 
day some  gifts  sorely  needed  for  deepening  and  strengthening  its  every  fiber, 
and  for  the  lifting  of  the  quality  of  life  to  levels  which  approach  more  nearly 
the  ideals  toward  which  the  peoples  of  all  ages  have  struggled  in  their  search 
for  God. 


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